Over My Head
by Alleh
Summary: While Roxas sleeps, Axel decides to fight for his friend's life one last time. But he discovers that the boy has been hiding secrets of his own... Slightly songfic to Over My Head Cable Car by the Fray. AkuRoku


I wrote this short fic a year ago. Yesterday was AkuRoku Day '07, and I decided to pull out my tiny disc of fan-fiction (some of which you can see on my profile! Hoorah. -.-;;) and read my AkuRoku fic. But there was another one! I forgot I wrote this one. I edited it a little, but not a lot, so it's more or less in the form that it was in my totally-in-love-with-the-AkuRoku-pairing days of yester-year. Not that it's not still an amazing pairing, I'm just not fangirling over it. As much... ;-; I don't own KH or any of the characters, and all that jazz. This is a song-fic to The Fray's _Over My Head (Cable Car)_. Hope you enjoy! (:

* * *

A desperate sigh escaped his crumpled form as Axel struggled to fall asleep. He turned over to glance at the sleeping form across the room. 

Roxas had found his escape route. Little did he know that such an escape would make him lose his life.

Why had he gone to the Organization? Was it really as he had said, "I did it to find out about myself and more about you?" It was hard to believe those words. Never had anyone taken an interest in his wellbeing - or his entire being, for that matter. The words plagued his mind and the redhead flipped over again grumpily.

Suddenly, he became aware of an exquisite piano melody floating softly on the air. Lost as he was in his thoughts, Axel hadn't even noticed that the stupid boy had left the radio on again. The peaceful notes calmed his fatigued mind and he soon found himself thinking of rolling seashores from a previous life… a life he no longer remembered. If Roxas lost his Nobody existence so quickly, he would have no recollections at all. Axel would never be on his mind, would never be present in his memories. The kid wouldn't even recognize the name.

"I...don't want that..." Soft moonlight splayed over the room. With raindrops dripping onto the window every so often, the glow seemed to be flecked with tears. Now the moonlight shifted onto Roxas' pallid face, gently smiling in a sweet dream.

"Roxas?" Axel whispered. "Are you awake?" The blonde boy showed no signs of being so; he only shifted slightly to tug the covers closer around his face.

A tiny laugh echoed in time with the piano's voice. Roxas looked like such a baby. A fragile child in need of rescue…

And so, the decision was made.

Axel threw the covers off and crossed the room to gather his customary black coat. It slipped on and clung easily to his lithe form, swishing noiselessly as he walked to Roxas' bedside.

"Don't worry, Roxas…I'll save you. I won't let them use you. Not you."

Raindrops pelted the window and sent shadows trailing from the eyes of Keyblade bearer's face. Tears.

Axel frowned slightly, but pulled himself away from the sweet dreamer and out into the dark midnight streets.

----------------------------------------

The dismally familiar hallways of the castle seemed to call out an eerie welcome. Axel ignored the bleak sense of failure that seeped into his mind by simply setting foot into HQ. Shaking his head, he took step after step until he found himself in front of the Leader's door. Xemnas. He found the strength to raise it and knock on the door despite a shaking hand. 

"Come in, Number VIII," a silky drawl taunted.

"I do have a name, you know. It's Axel. A-X-E-L. _Got it memorized_?" The fiery redhead shot a rude look in the Nobody's direction as he plopped himself down into a black lounge chair similar to the one Xemnas sat in. A desk in the far corner lay scattered with papers and a fire roared in the nearby hearth.

Yellow eyes pinned down his insolence. "I know very well, Axel. State your purpose. I have more important matters to attend to."

"Well, it's about the supposed Keyblade bearer you've welcomed into our ranks. You know, that Roxas kid."

"What of him?"

"I met him as he changed into his Nobody form. There was no Keyblade present. As he became one of us, he spoke his true name and wasn't Sora. Usually nobody's around when we change - it was lucky that I caught him at the start. It really seems like your plan is useless. Though I don't think that he'll be a _total_ lost cause--"

A deep chuckle escaped Xemnas' lips and interrupted Axel's babble. "So it seems you have lost your mind after all…"

"What do you mean?" Fire sparked to life in Axel's eyes: he did not like to be laughed at.

"I'm afraid you're too late to save your little friend. He came to me of his own accord and successfully allowed me to view the Keyblades. He is, indeed, Sora's Nobody."

Disappointment and despair filled the flame owner's mind. He had been too late after all. He had failed to successfully warn Roxas. The foolish boy had not taken it to heart. _Well, of course not,_ Axel sighed mentally. _He hasn't got one._ But at that moment, memories of feeling - persistence, anger and rage - flared up in his mind.

"You can't control him. I won't let you! I WON'T LET YOU ERASE HIM!" Axel screamed. Fiery chakrams appeared at his side and flames rose up from the fireplace to lick the walls of the room.

A menacing laugh emanated from Xemnas. He sat calmly amidst the chaos that the Fury of Flames momentarily set lose.

"Do not dare to defy me, Number VIII. Disloyalty is not tolerated among my Organization. I expect you to bring the boy to me immediately."

A forceful shock swept across the room and knocked Axel to his knees. Glancing up from his crouched position, he saw scenery flash past him until he was resting on the cement pavement in front of his small apartment. The calm rain had turned into a torrential downpour now, and Axel was quickly smothered and drenched, all strength evaporating into the pools and puddles of water around him.

He had to run away. He could not hand over Roxas to the Organization. Not after everything they had experienced together. A raindrop falling onto his forehead forced his train of though to break and he shot a look up to the black sky.

A small figure staring down from a window stopped his eyes. Roxas was gazing down at him, his eyes wide in drowsy fear.

----------------------------------------

The young boy ran quickly to the doorway and ripped open the barricade seconds before the older man slumped into the room. Roxas caught his heavy form as Axel fell forward and worry seeped into his mind.

"Axel? Where did you go? I woke up and you were gone…What happened to you?"

The redhead placed a firm grip onto the blonde's shoulder and heaved himself upward slowly. Axel read the surprise and shock in Roxas' eyes and Roxas locked onto Axel's despondency.

"You really have a rotten destiny, you know that, kid? Awww, who am I kiddin'. Jokes are no good. There's really no use trying."

"Axel, what are you---"

A simple piano melody floated in between their words.

"You left the damn radio on again."

"It helps me fall asleep." The young boy smiled sheepishly, still distraught by Axel's emotional and physical state. "But anyway, stop avoiding my questions! What are you—" But his words were lost as lyrics started to flow into the room.

_I never knew  
I never knew that everything was falling through  
That everyone I knew was waiting on a queue  
To turn and run when all I needed was the truth  
But that's how it's got to be  
It's coming down to nothing more than apathy  
I'd rather run the other way than stay and see  
The smoke and who's still standing when it clears _

_Everyone knows I'm in  
Over my head  
Over my head  
With eight seconds left in overtime  
She's on your mind  
She's on your mind_

"Definitely in overtime now…" Axel muttered. At least something was agreeing with the situation.

"What overtime—what are you even talking about? Just tell me!" Roxas fumed, but the redhead only gave a smirk in reply. He opened his mouth to protest, but the lyrics returned.

_Let's rearrange  
I wish you were a stranger I could disengage  
Just say that we agree and then never change  
Soften a bit until we all just get along  
But that's disregard  
Find another friend and you discard  
As you lose the argument in a cable car  
Hanging above as the canyon comes between  
_

Axel glanced away from his friend to avoid the look of shock he knew his words would invoke. "They're using you, Roxas. They're using you to complete your Other and exploit him, and then when that's done…you'll disappear." The final words brought pain and suffering. A truth Axel never wanted to admit.

"…But they told me if I did, you could rejoin with your Other, too." Number XIII pleaded. "They know who he is! They'll make you finally complete!"

Axel jaw dropped in shock. Roxas had struck a bargain with the Organization? Much less, a bargain for his release as well? He couldn't believe it. Without rational thought, the truth came pouring from his mouth.

"But I won't be complete without you, Roxas…"

The young boy started, and his eyes filled with an inexpressible sadness. He had nothing to protest against this time. He only let Axel's lips fall onto his own and soothe his fraying mind.

_And suddenly I become a part of your past  
I'm becoming the part that don't last  
I'm losing you and it's effortless  
Without a sound we lose sight of the ground _

_In the throw around  
Never thought that you wanted to bring it down  
I won't let it go down till we torch it ourselves  
_

_And everyone knows I'm in  
Over my head  
Over my head  
With eight seconds left in overtime  
She's on your mind  
She's on your mind_

As their first kiss ended, Axel smirked. "I'm in over my head with you, kid..." he whispered gently into the boy's ear. Eager grins broke out upon eager faces. Axel began to pull away from their embrace, but the action went unrecognized. Seizing his other half in a fervent kiss, Roxas allowed his feelings to pull him under.


End file.
